Observing the sun.

Yesterday i tried out my newly constructed solar filter for the 1st time.

It aint the prettiest thing but it works a treat cuz i can still see.

However all i saw was literally the sun up close. There was lots of shimmering movement aroud the circumference (heat waves radiating from it) but NO sun spots.

I think i read recently that the sun is now only starting out on an "active" cycle and as the year progresses......sun spots will appear.

I observed with all of my EP's on it.......(32mm down to 6mm).

Was i doing something wrong or am i observing at a BAD time?

Also i would like to see some proms and to do so i need a H-Alpha filter.

Would it be worth investing in one for a 90mm scope?

I have plans to upgrade ASAP to an 8" scope.

Bat timing! There's a whole lot of nothing showing on the surface of the sun right now. You can check to see what's showing by clicking on this link daily (example below):
sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime/mdi_igr/512/latest.gif

Phil.

Thanks for that Phil. Thats pretty much what i saw but in white light.

Nothing to write home about.

Didnt think to try obseving with an orange or red filter. Gonna give that a go just to see the colour difference.

Had another session observing the sun today. Still nothing to write home about regarding spots etc. But the one thing that just impresses the hell out of me about the sun is that............... it is a STAR............

How many stars do we all observe any night of the week when the skies are clear?..................hundreds.............maybe thousands. And they all pretty much look just like twinkling points of light.

Then there is the SUN.......................A STAR.

So close to us that its light takes a mere 8 mins to reach us.

Hey, guys, there seems to be a little sunspot on the photosphere now:
www.solar.ifa.hawaii.edu/MWLT/Today/latest.jpg

Couldn't observe it yet, since the weather remains a terrible mess here in Greece, and after a month or so of non observing activity, we are all at the edge of a nervous break down...

Vagelis

Hi PJ, it is magnificent that you underline that the Sun IS a star. We all tend to forget this fact.
Since it is aufully boring here, too much rain and for too long, why not play 2 games?

1. In case you can't see any sunspots on the surfice, I have an alternative observation for you to make: It is called Limb Darkening. Heard about it?
The edges of the solar disc -the limb- appear darker to the human eye than the center of the sun (the solar sphere actually), which appears more "illuminated". Can you guess why is that so?

2. This is a quiz!
Suppose a magical hand turns-off/shuts-down the thermonuclear fussion reactions in the solar core.
Assuming that the speed of light is 299,792.5 km/sec
and sun-earth distance is this week 147,608,219 km
When do you think an observer on earth, (ok, in the areas facing the shut-down Sun) will notice that the Sun has stopped shining?

HINT1: Don't answer 8 minutes, that's obviously wrong.
HINT2: Pick another unit of time, anything else EXCEPT minutes.

Good luck!
The clock is running!

Vagelis